John L. Warren III

“I have witnessed the devastating effect that government fraud has, not only on taxpayers as a whole, but on individuals. The government does not have the resources or access to discover most of the fraud that occurs across our country, so it is up to brave individuals to blow the whistle on government fraud. And I want to help them.”

Lessons From the Top

John Warren understands the value of having a good mentor. He’s had several. He clerked for the Hon. John W. Kittredge of the Supreme Court of South Carolina for two years, for the Hon. Donald C. Coggins, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina for two and a half years, and for the Hon. A. Marvin Quattlebaum, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for a year. In private practice, John has worked with Bill Nettles and John Simmons, both former U.S. Attorneys for the District of South Carolina.

But he also knows that the mentor-mentee relationship is a two-way street, so he strove to be always prepared, always detailed, always willing to go the extra mile to fight for what’s right. He proved himself to be an out-of-the-box thinker who seeks creative legal solutions for complex issues. He honed his research and writing skills knowing that first impressions matter – especially when presenting a whistleblower claim to the government.

Why Whistleblower Cases?

After concluding his final clerkship, John has practiced almost exclusively in federal court handling whistleblower cases. He loves the complexity of these cases and is drawn to their unique challenges. And he also enjoys working with the individuals who bring forth these whistleblower claims because they share his indignation when others attempt to defraud the government for personal gain. An early case that really made an impact on John was on behalf of a military veteran who’d had his GI Bill funds stolen by a barber school in exchange for training and coursework that never materialized. Imagine his outrage! John did. And he channels it into his work every day.

“I Like to Get to Know My Clients.”

John recognizes that many whistleblowers are in a stressful situation, especially if they’re reporting their employer. He sees how alienating it can be for his clients to interact with their co-workers on a day-to-day basis, knowing that they are working to expose their and/or their employers’ fraudulent practices. So, he takes care to walk them through the potential scenarios they may encounter and helps them with the day-to-day struggles involved in their cases. He builds relationships with them so that they know they have someone on their side that they can trust. “I want my clients to know that I am always available to answer questions and will always try to outwork opposing counsel.”

Committed to the Carolinas

John grew up in Lexington, South Carolina and has spent his entire life in the Carolinas. He attended the University of South Carolina for his undergraduate education and graduated with honors with a B.A. in political science from its Honors College in 2009. Throughout college, he worked diligently as a legal assistant and runner for a local law firm and decided to delay law school and work there full time for a year. That year provided invaluable preparation for Elon University School of Law, and John graduated cum laude in 2013, after serving on the school’s Moot Court Board and Law Review. After graduation from Elon, John’s legal career was off and running.

John currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina with his wife and two black labs. Avid music fans, the couple enjoys traveling across the Southeast attending concerts and music festivals.